Gareth Hanna

Dromore Athletics Club’s stunning season continued last weekend with a history-making finish.

The local club earned their first ever team medal in the NI & Ulster Cross-Country Championships as they claimed silver in Lurgan Park.

The team was made up of Diane Wilson, Rebekah Nixon, Rebecca Henderson and Laura Bickerstaff but the key figure, they said, was long-serving Dromore coach Michael McGreevy.

Michael has been coaching at the club for 32 years. And in that time, no athetes have done what these girls have.

Rebecca Henderson also claimed an individual bronze medal. But it was the team’s success that really pleased the Moira girl.

“It’s such an achievement for us as a club,” she said, “having never won a team medal in the NI & Ulster XC Championships before.

“We were delighted to win second team behind a very worthy Beechmount Harriers.

“Dromore is a big club and we always turn out well at a variety events from cross country to track and mountain races, so it was great to come away with a medal and equally important for our dedicated coach Michael who takes a personal interest in every athlete’s training.

“He’s been coaching Dromore for 32 years now so it was great to get that for him as well as our own personal achievement. Hopefully there are more medals to come.”

Michael was presented with the Unsung Hero award by BBC Sport NI back in 2007 for his unwavering support of the local club.

Since then, his expertise has only increased and he has helped to shepherd this team of girls to great things.

Earlier this season, Rebekah Nixon represented Ulster on the international scene for the first time at the Great Edinburgh Cross-Country while Rebecca Henderson received her first call-up to the Northern Ireland team.

Last year Diane Wilson became Northern Ireland’s first ever winner of the Ben Nevis Mountain Race and Laura Bickerstaff is a former junior track and cross country champion who has enjoyed an impressive return to athletics.